Folding-machine.



II. HITCHCOCK. FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR, I5. I9I4.

REUBEN HITCHCOCK, OF CLEIELAND, OHI MACHINE COMPANY, 0F CLEVELA O, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLEVELAND FOLDING ND, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO.

FOLDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led April 15, 1914. Serial No. 831,957.

; To all whom it may concern.'

ated upon,

Be it known that I, REUBEN HITCHCOCK, a citizen of the United States, Vresiding at Cleveland, in the county of State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in F olding-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Mv invention relates to improvements in folding machines, and more particularly t-o certain improvements pertaining to the folding plates or guides ofV said folding machines, whereby accuracy in forming the ,folds is insured.

It has been found in practice with certain types of folding machines,'especially when heavier weights of paper stock are operthat the extended end of such paper stock wit-hin the folding plate is liable to sag or become deflected, so that its edges are out of alinement, and the creasing.,r rolls, in consequence, will form a fold that is not exactly at right angles with the edges. This results in the production of imperfect signatures or 'folded mattei'. Inasmuch as the sheets are rapidly passed into and out of the folding plate, any corrective means must not appreciably impede the movement of .the Yfolded sheet therein, nor mar its appearance in any way.

Accordingly, I have provided the folding frame or pIate with 'suitable means adapted to sustain or support the. folded sheet while passing into and out of said frame or plate, here present in one or more. bowed springs adapted to be engaged sufficiently to retain the position of the sheet, even in a vertical folding frame, support or. side plate.

My4 improvements explained in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein Figure 1 is apartial view in side elevation of a folding machine and its vertical folding plate, to which my improvement has been applied,

Fig. 2 is a' transverse section thereof, partially diagrammatic in character, illustrating the folded sheet or signature within said folding plate, y

Fig. 3 is aperspective view of one of the bowed springs preferably employed therein, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary crosssection showing the deflection of the paper.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings, I have employed the same char aoter of reference to indicate similar parts.

the folding plates of different Cuyahoga and v set-screws j, permit its Although my invention is applicable to types of folding machines, I have illustrated it in its preferred and most useful adaptation to the vertically positioned folding plate, designed to receive' 'the sheet or signature from the buckling rolls. folding machine are shown t-o indicate the purpose and advantages of my improvement.

The folding machine frame -a is provided with three vertically positioned rolls, of which LA.' C, are the buckling rolls, designed to pass the paper into the folding plate d. This folding plate extends at an angle of 45 degrees from the machine, 4and is of the form comprising spaced grids c c, between which the vpaper readily passes. y Y

The adjustable stop f is adapted to be positioned at any desired distance along the folding plate, which maybe' accurately gaged' by the scale/'shown thereon. Two adjustment at any desired distance from the tbc-acting rolls.

The buckling rolls Z). C, are adapted to forceging, so that its extended portion with.- may be more readily in the framev is retained with its edges in alinement with the remainder of the folded sheet which has not passed between the rolls. These resilient members or deflectors also serve partly to overcome any natural spring in the paper, and therebyfretain'the plies of the sheet or signature closely together. In consequence, the fold invariablyfwill be formed at right angles with the edgesof the paper, and t-his'simple provision permits the very rapid operation of the machine. the length and tension of the bowed spring or springs i may be varied to cause thelateral defiection of the paper, shown vin Figs. 2 and 4, suited to the' conditions under which the machine is operating and the character of paper operated noon. Also, other suit- Patentea Aug. 13, 191s.

Sufficient portions of the frame and apparatus only' be passed between between the' rolls c, 7L,-

' It will be understood that able ldeflecting members or resilient means,

permitting the ready passage of the paper, while retaining it in proper positionrwithin the folding frame or plate, may be substi- .tuted for the simple spring or springs herewith shown and described.

Having now 4set forth the preferred ernbodiment of my invention, I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, the following 1. In afolding machine, the combinaticn with co-ac'tingbuckling and folding rolls'f'of a vertically positioned side-plate associated therewith, comprising opposing grids spaced apart to permit the passage of the paper, an adjustable paper stop with which the sheets are adapted to engage, and an adjustable bowed spring extending through registering openings in the grids, adapted to engage and deflect the sheets for maintaining their edges in alinement while traveling in the side. plate, substantially as set forth.

2. In a folding m'achine, the combination Y with the vertically positioned side plate s itioned to bear against the folded sheet and temporarily maintain said sheet in its relaftive position while traveling therein, substantially as set forth.

4.' I n a folding machine, ythe combination with its right-angle folding mechanism, com prising folding and bucklinV rolls, a side plate vertically positioned adjacent thereto,

.a paper stop therein, andan adjustable deiiecting spring associated with said side plate and adapted to bear uponvthe folded sheet and maintain its edgesy in alinement.

while said sheet is traveling therein, substantially as set forth. 5. In a folding machine, the combination with co-acting buckling and folding rolls,

of aside-plate associated therewith, comprising spaced opposing grids between which the paper is adapted to pass, ali-adjustable paper sto therein and a bowed spring eX- tending t rough one of the grid openings into the path of the paper adapted `to be engaged by the paper and maintain its linear position while moving within the frame, lsubstantially as set forth.

6'. In a folding machine, the combination with co-acting rolls, of an associated sideplate comprising separated grids between which the paper is adapted to pass, an adjustable paper stop therein, and an adjustable defiecting-member extending between the grids into the path of thepaper, adapted v l laterally to displace and support the same while moving within the frame, substantially as set forth.

' 7. In a paper folding machine, the combination with co-acting folding andbuckling rolls, of lan associated side-plate comprising vertically positioned spaced grids, an adjustable paper stop, and al resilient deflector-member extending between the grids into the path of the paper and adapted to engage the signature to' retain its vertical alinement and hold the plies together while traveling within the side-plate.

In testimony whereof I do now aflix -my l signature in the presence of two witnesses.

REUBEN HITCHCOCK.

Witnesses I/V.'B.Anronn,

ALBERT LYNN LAWRENCE. 1 

